The information allows anyone to run unofficial software on their consoles – including pirated games.

The technology giant says hackers bypassed security measures on PS3 and made them public.

Sony claims it amounts to copyright infringement and computer fraud.

It has applied for a restraining order in a Californian district court against publication of the code.

It filed the legal action specifically against American George ‘Geohot’ Hotz, 21, and more than 100 members of a hacking group known as fail0verflow. Hotz is accused of ‘unlawfully [gaining] access to a critical level of the PS3 System’ protection measures in December.

But Hotz told the BBC: ‘I have spoken with legal counsel and I feel comfortable that Sony’s action against me doesn’t have any basis.